It’s been a big couple of weeks for Giant, with news of the new Anthem 29 and dropping the 2018 Reign this week, and the brand, along with Liv, has just held its MY18 launch here in Australia.
We’ve spent the day wandering around and taking a look next year’s bikes and gear. There were a few new products we hadn’t seen before and quite a few we finally got to see up close. So, here are 10 that caught our eye.
- Spotted: Giant Propel Disc prototype at the Tour de France
- Best road bike: how to choose the right one for you
- Best mountain bike: how to choose the right one for you
Liv Lagma Disc Advanced Pro 1 Disc
Our women's editor Aoife had the chance to ride the rim brake Lagma in Follina, Italy a few weeks back, and noted it was super light (the complete Lagma Advanced 0 on show weighed just 6.41kg by our scales), while still offering an extremely compliant ride. It didn’t quite have the get up and go that many high-performance race bikes do though.
Unfortunately, Liv didn’t have any of the disc frames on hand at the time for Aoife to take for a spin.
With a metallic red paint job, the Lagma Advance Pro 1 Disc looks fantastic. The bike weighed in at a respectable 7.7kg / 17lbs with the new Shimano Ultegra R8000 group, Giant’s SLR 1 Disc tubeless ready carbon clinchers, hydraulic disc brakes and 140mm rotors front and rear.
Unlike the Lagma Advance 0, the disc version doesn’t get an integrated seatpost, but it does get thru-axles at both ends and can take up to a 28mm tire.
Giant Dirt E 1 Pro
The all new Dirt E 100 Pro is an alloy 27.5 hardtail with Giant's SyncDrive Pro drive unit. The motor itself is made by Yamaha and the supporting software is programmed by Giant.
With five levels of assist, the SyncPro Drive Unit can offer up to 360 percent of pedal assist. The 80nm motor can also offer assistance at cadences as high as 120rpm, and is said to deliver 100 percent of the assistance in less than 190 milliseconds.
The new drive unit is also claimed to be 380g lighter than the SyncDrive Sport and 13 percent smaller too, which allows for a bit of extra ground clearance and better integration into the frame.
Based around a 120mm RockShox Revelation RL fork, the DirtE 100 Pro sees a 68-degree head angle, 73-degree seat angle and 470mm chainstays through the four sizes.
Rolling on Maxxis Forekaster EXO 2.6in rubber and Giant GE35 wheels, the DirtE 100 Pro sees a Shimano SLX drivetrain bar the Deore XT Shadow rear derailleur and stopping is provided by Shimano's MT500 calipers with 200mm front and 180mm rear rotors.
The bike also comes with Giant’s Switch dropper post.
There is also a Dirt-E 2 Pro, which sees a full Shimano Deore 10-speed drivetrain and a Suntour Radion 34 120mm fork.
Liv VALL-E 2
The ladies also get a hardtail e-MTB under the Liv banner, named the Vall-E 2.
Only available in three sizes (XS, S, M), the VALL E 2 sees a 68-degree head angle and 475mm chainstays throughout the range, but size specific seat angles range from 74 in the XS to 73 in the M.
The Vall-E 2 gets the second-tier Giant SyncDrive Sport motor — there is also a Vall-E 1 with the SyncDrive Pro version — and sees a Shimano Acera/Deore Mix drivetrain, Maxxis Forkaster 2.6in tires, Shimano M315 hydraulic brakes with 200mm front and 180mm rear rotors, and a Suntour XCR 32 120mm fork.
Giant Full-E 1 Pro
Giant also showed off the Full-E 1Pro, the brand's new full suspension e-MTB. Like the Dirt E 100 Pro its gets the SyncDrive Pro drive unit, and is based around 27.5 wheels and tires.
With a slightly slacker 67-degree head angle, the Full-E sees a 150mm Fox Float 34 Performance fork, and 140mm Fox Float DPS EVOL Trunnion Mount rear shock, integrated into the Giant's Maestro suspension design.
The bike also comes with Giant’s Switch Dropper post and a full Shimano 2x Deore / SLX mixed drivetrain, and Deore brake calipers with 200mm discs front and rear.
Giant ToughRoad SLR 0
For some time, the TCX has served as both Giant’s CX race platform and gravel/adventure bike. With the popularly that gravel grinding and adventure riding is seeing, Giant has just lifted the veil on its new ToughRoad gravel bike.
While the ToughRoad SLR 0 on display had flat bars, Giant tells us there will also be drop bar version too.
Only available with Giant’s ALUXX SLR aluminium frame, the ToughRoad gets a carbon fork complete with rack and pannier mounts. While many bikes in the category allow you to experiment with 650b rims and tires, the ToughRoad is 700cc only and has clearance for up to a 50mm tire.
There is also a fender integrated into the down tube, which serves double duty protecting the down tube and cabling.
Borrowing the Defy’s D-Fuse seatpost design, the bike sees a 70.5-degree head angle in the XS, S, and M sizes, and 71 degrees in the M/L, L and XL sizes with 450mm chainstays throughout the range.
As is to be expected for an adventure bike, it’s got hydraulic disc brakes and a 1x SRAM Apex drivetrain.
Giant Reign Advanced 0
We’ve already taken a look at the new 2018 Reign, but this is the first time we’ve seen it in person, and it’s a beauty.
As you’d expect, the top-end Reign Advanced 0 is fully kitted out with a carbon frame, 160mm RockShox Lyrik RTC Solo Air fork, RockShox Super Deluxe Coil, Contact Switch S dropper and full SRAM X01 Eagle drivetrain.
Enduro bikes still need to be pedalled uphill, so the Reign also gets a bar mounted lockout.
The Reign Advanced 0 tipped our scales at 13.6kg / 30lbs.
Giant Anthem Advanced Pro 29er 0
Like the Reign the new Anthem 29er was launched a few weeks back and is designed to be an all-out XC racer with a full carbon frame and swingarm, 100mm of travel at the front and 90mm at the rear, with a slacker at the front, steeper at the rear geometry.
But in all the info we got from Giant, it didn't tell us how much it weighed... well, now we know. Tipping our scales a 10.2kg / 22.5lbs it’s lighter than some low-end carbon road bikes.
Giant Status Full Face Helmet
Working with its Factory Off Road Team, Giant has collaborated with 100% to produce a Giant branded version of the Status Full Face Helmet.
The lid features a fibreglass shell, washable liner, cheek pads, a padded chin bar, venting throughout and is compatible with inflatable emergency helmet release systems.
Line Trail shoes and Shuttle Downhill shoe
Giant also showed off two new MTB shoes: the Line Trail shoe and the Shuttle Downhill shoe.
Both are made from a seamless hydrophobic upper, which is said to only gain 30g when completely saturated.
They both also see a nylon plate underneath a full coverage rubber sole as well as a rubber toe box to prevent stubbed toes.
There is a SPD cleat mount with plenty of room for adjustment and a flex zone built into the toe for more comfortable walking too.
Giant NeosTrack computer
In January, at the Tour Down Under, we spotted Wilco Kelderman using a Giant NeoTrack computer that looked suspiciously like a Bryton Rider 530.
Now, Giant has released the NeosTrack head unit, that doesn’t look like anything currently on offer from Bryton, but appears to have some of the tech brand's design influence.
The new head unit currently being used by Team Sunweb features a high sensitivity GPS chip, connects to ANT+ or Bluetooth devices, is compatible with Di2 integration and works with the new NeosTrack app as well as third party apps like Strava and Training Peaks.
With a claimed 30-hour battery life, the NeosTrack also offers turn-by-turn directions, where routes can be created from previous activities, through Neostrack.com or third party GPX files.
Check out the gallery at the top for all the cool stuff we spotted at Giant and Liv's global launch